The linocut ‘Blue Mountains Wildflowers’ is really a step back in time for me on many levels from the design inspirations to my memories of this region. As I’ve spoken about before I love the Blue Mountains region west of Sydney, it has such a rugged beauty & the flora & fauna is integral to the whole region. The Blue Mountains has a strong Art Deco influence in architecture and design & examples of that can found throughout the small villages along the ridges leading all the way to Katoomba & beyond. The area really had its ‘heyday’ in the 1900-1960’s and in particular the 1930’s. This linocut art piece is also grounded in family experiences & an inheritance of sorts.

I guess this artwork had its beginnings with family. Both my family & my husband’s family have been keen visitors to the Blue Mountains for many years. When thinking about the Blue Mountains region I found I had so many stories & photos of that time from my mother-in-law & her family in particular, many of whom still live in the Blue Mountains. From honeymoons to day trips and in fact, it is where my husband & I had our honeymoon. It was also somewhere we took our kids for day trips, holidays & to visit family & friends as well.

The ‘Long’s’ Honeymoon 1925

Day Trippers to the Blue Mountains from Sydney c1950’s

Mum on a holiday in the Blue Mountains c1960

Aunty Lorna visiting the Blue Mountauins c1960’s

Blue Mountains Views 1986

Blue Mountains Views 1986

Blue Mountains Views 1986

Blue Mountains Views 1987

Blue Mountains Views 1987

Blue Mountains Views 1987

Blue Mountains Views 1987

Blue Mountains Views 1987

Blue Mountains Views 1987

Blue Mountains Views 1987

Blue Mountains Views 1987

Blue Mountains Views c1960’s

Family visits c1930’s

Blue Mountains Trip 1986

Blue Mountains Trip 1986

Blue Mountains Honeymoon 1987

Blue Mountains Honeymoon 1987

Blue Mountains Honeymoon 1987

Blue Mountains Trip with 2 of our sons1992

Blue Mountains Views 1986 – Three Sisters

Blue Mountains Views 1986 – Three Sisters

The wildflowers of this region are truly spectacular. The waratahs & flannel flowers are two of the iconic Australian wildflowers found here & of course I could not go past the ‘Mountain Devils’ – Lambertia formosa – which I have childhood memories of the seedpods dressed up with tulle on sticks like cupie dolls but there are some more vivid examples of these dolls in this newspaper article! I actually still have a couple of my mother-in-law’s tulle simple versions in an old china cabinet from her ‘nic-nacs’ which I just haven’t been able to part with. So the central panel of this work for me just had to be these three wildflowers.

A lot of research goes into investigating the species of an area, then I always take my own photographs & drawings of each of the species. This helps me to understand the structure of each plant & flower & increases the draftsmanship & design of the piece. There are usually so many I then have plenty to choose for the design.

So a little gallery in of inspirational wildflowers for Blue Mountains Wildflowers.

Waratahs

Waratah

Waratah

Pultanea glabra

Fletcher’s Drumsticks

Mountain Devil

Peach Blossom Tea Tree

Melaleuca hypericifolia

NSW Christmas Bush

Ernie Constable’s Hakea

Grey Spider Flower

Flannel Flower

Fraser’s Boronia

Christmas Bells

Coachwood

Blue Mountains Gum

Blue Mountains Gum

Blue Mountains Gum

Blue Mountains Gum

Blueberry Ash

Black Wattle

Saw Banksia

Saw Banksia

Waratah

Waratah

When my mother in law passed away a few years ago we inherited an old Art Deco style mirror. Looking a little shabby & worse for wear it does however have such an interesting shape. So I started with the mirror’s shape then developed that to create the overall structure of the design. It is then a matter of putting together all the research & developing that into the design. I spend a lot of time drawing, I think it is one of my favourite parts of the process. I have always loved drawing.

An old Art Deco Mirror

Creating a new design – sketchbook

Research, design, inspiration, creation & drawing

The final drawing for Blue Mountains Wildflowers

I see the linocuts as an extension of that & a way to push my vision & drawing further – the art of creative-art thinking. There is the ‘practical’ aspect of what can actually be carved out of lino but then there is the creative side of shapes & patterns. After I have finished the drawing of the design I then photocopy it several times & start to work on the actual linocut design. I use black felt pens to work on the designs, often photocopying, pasting & then using white out to work on this side of the designing. I guess I am still ‘old school’ in that I love to work with the physicality of paper, pen, pencil & ink but I do sometimes ‘dabble’ with computers & photoshop. I can spend weeks refining the images into exactly what I am happy with in the design & which I am able to produce in the medium.

Creating the design for carving

The final ‘template’ for the lino carving

Tracing of template to transfer to lino

Design drawn onto the lino for carving

Warming the cold lino on an electric plate warmer

Then to the carving of the design in lino. I have talked about different type of lino previously but I am pretty settled with the grey Silkcut & even managed to visit their gallery & workshop in Melbourne when I was there last time. I love my new Pfeil linocutting tools as they have made the carving just so much easier reducing the strain on my shoulder. There are actually 12 different blades in my set & I think so far I have only used half of them! Like a painter may use different brushes a Fine Art linocut artist uses their carving tools to create different effect within the surface of the lino. Some use it to create rough textural pieces but mine is a more methodical approach. I see my linocuts as botanical in nature so I try to represent the wildflowers as close to their essence as I can and this includes within the carving to create the images.

Carving beginnings – Pfeil Lino Carving Tool

Carving beginnings – Pfeil Lino Carving Tool

Lino carving progressions

Lino carving progressions

Lino carving progressions

Lino carving progressions

Studio view – caving lino

Lino carving progressions – Waratah 1

Lino carving progressions – Waratah 1

Lino carving progressions – Waratah 1

Lino carving progressions – Waratah 1

Lino carving progressions – Waratah 1

Lino carving progressions – Waratah 1

Linoblock carving finished

Final linoblock ready to print with edges removed

An interesting aspect to my work is the ‘uneven’ edges. I do not feel limited by the square or rectangular shapes that lino is usually presented to us from the art shop. I have always sought to move outside these shop bought restrictions. In order to do that I need to carefully cut back the edges. I start by making several strong cuts into the from surface of the lino. I then very carefully split the lino edge I want to remove & fold it towards the hessian back. Then I turn the lino over & cut along the hessian backing with a sharp bladed knife.

Often there can be a rough edge which is not something I want to be on my print. So I carefully remove the rough edges until I have a clean smooth cut. You need to take care especially around pieces with more ‘organic’ lines rather than the straight edges within this particular design.

Then the handcolouring. I print with oil-based ink & handcolour with watercolour. I like that I can sue multiple layers & colours within each section to create the overall vibrancy of the wildflowers. You will see on the first ‘handcolour proof’ patches of colour & notes on which colour mixes I used. Although the aim is to paint each one the same you can appreciate that each one is actually individually painted & there are always variations.

Here is a little video from photos about this whole process of creating Blue Mountains Wildflowers. For those who don’t want to read explanations & learn better through images rather than words, you can now watch it in a little video format.

The centrepiece artwork for an exhibition at the Northern Rivers Art Gallery was a new linocut – Seaside Wildflowers.
Back in February I was approached by the Northern Rivers Art Gallery Director Ingrid Hedgcock, to exhibit alongside an exhibition of the Master Woods Craftsman & his students. For me it came at a time when recently becoming an ’empty nester’ & my shoulder was looking like it was going to recover after surgery & allow me to work – carve – again. It was also when I really need to get my arts practice back on track after a few years of life being too hectic to gain a consistent approach to my work.

I made the decision that I would work on finally completing many works I had been developing over many years as well as creating the centrepiece for the exhibition a work based around the Wildflowers synonymous with Ballina.
I will talk more about the other works in the exhibition in future posts but will start with the Seaside Wildflowers & where it all began.

In the process of creating this work I took some video footage & sill photographs with the idea of creating an education video showing my process from the inspiration through to the completion of the artwork.
I have always loved the seaside – the beach, the rock formations, the sea, the wildlife & of course the Wildflowers or flora. Even though I grew up in Sydney we spent every holidays by the sea at my grandparents in Yamba. Woody Head was another favourite place where my great uncle & Aunt lived, it is a truly beautiful natural place. We also spent a lot of time over where I now live on the ‘plateau’ region behind Ballina with my other grandparents – not that far from the seaside. As kids we would spend many hours going to the beach but also exploring the surrounding landscapes. So I know this region really well.

Boulders Beach, Lennox Head NSW

Lighthouse Beach, Ballina NSW

I start this particular genre of my work with research – some of this is ‘formal’ – flora studies of regions, plant identification lists but also I go & spend some time wherever possible wandering around the region taking photos. I like to see the flora/Wildflowers I am going to be drawing & document that in my own photos. By taking my own photos it also give me the opportunity to explore the process of visualising each wildflower or plant & how & where that might be represented within the initial concept of the artwork exploring different images of the particular plant. I look at things like the structure, colour & overall impression of each.
As I have talked about before, my work starts with ‘flashes’ of ideas scribbled into small sketchbooks, on post it notes or on scraps of paper.

Initial ideas for the Seaside Wildflowers linocut

Sketchbook design notes for Seaside Wildflowers

Researching plant species for Seaside Wildflowers

Transferring ideas & research into design

Initial design layout for Seaside Wildflowers

For Seaside Wildflowers it began as a quick sketch on a post it note which I have now stuck into one of my small sketchbooks with additional notes & ideas. For this artwork I have drawn on the flora lists of the region, the council guides for flora in the Ballina Shire, books of flora of the region, my own explorations of the Ballina seaside region, my own photographs of specific species & finally my memories of childhood holidays alongside living in this region for over 20 years.
One of my abiding memories of the flora or Wildflowers of this area is the stunning Pandanus – Pandanus tectorius or Screwpine.

These strong ‘structural’ small trees are integral to my childhood memories & they are such a strong presence along the seaside of this region. The fruit which starts as a small green ‘ball-like’ structure & slowly moves to yellow tones & finally a vibrant orange colour is the aspect most people would recognise. For me the depiction of the pandanus would need to include the fruit. Less obvious for many people are the flowers – many would not be aware of the flowers. So I made the decision to make the ‘wildflower’ front & centre for this piece. The flower starts as cream bracts inside which the flower heads develop but the slowly the whole long spike of flowers emerge with the female flowers ending in long spikes of cream flowers & bracts.

The long strap like leaves emerge in a spiral from a central point & form a cluster on the end of the rather tortuous trunk & limbs. I think the pandanus reflects the very nature of growing by the season it’s tough ‘wildness’ & so it was for me to become the pivotal image for this artwork.

I started with many possible flora species I could incorporate into the piece, more than I could actually use & so this is where after setting out the pandanus I explore the size, structure, colours etc of all the possibilities. I see this is the fine art aspect of developing my Linocuts – this is where my training, skill & inspiration as an artist rather than a craftsperson comes into being. I bring my drawing & compositional skills to this process & it can be both the most frustrating as well as enjoyable part of the developing of my artwork.

Tuckeroo

Spinifex

Coastal Wattle

Pigface

Pigface & Spinifex

Paper Daisies

Native Hibsiscus

Beach Lily

Coastal Banksia

Once I finish the detailed drawing I work through further developing this drawing into a form that can be carved in Lino which is my chosen medium for this piece.

For me this involves inking the design into shape & spaces.

Seaside Wildflowers Drawing 1

Seaside Wildflowers Drawing 2

Seaside Wildflowers Drawing 3

Seaside Wildflowers Drawing 4

Seaside Wildflowers Drawing 5

I then carve this into Lino to be printed. For me these two further processes again involve choices & changes in the translations from drawing to final artwork.

Starting to carve the image

Transferring the image to Lino

A fine bladed gouge is used to carve – these are extremely sharp so beginners be aware!

Larger areas are carved out to create the white negative spaces

Half the linoblock carved here 🙂

The final fully carved linoblock ready for printing

Once the Lino is finished being carved I then print it in black ink & handcolour with watercolour the final artwork.

Roller & ink for inking the linoblock

The inked linoblock – note the mirror reversed carving

The hand colouring is not simply a ‘fill in the spaces’ it involves again skill & training in watercolour as a medium including colour, contrast, tone etc alongside the application of the paint.

I handcolour the linoprint with watercolours

This shows a handcoloured or watercolour painted section on one print & one without colour

Slowly progressing with the watercolour – it is a careful process using layerinf of colour not just flat washes

And more watercolour progressions

The final handcolouring finished – on my drawing board I hav used since my Dad made it for me in High School 🙂

I have taken some video footage of the processes which is a quick look at the whole process and it is now on youtube.

These are the 4 main sizes of blades I use to carve my linoblocks – they are known as ‘V’ gauges and are blades designed to push away from you whilst you carve. There are other blades known as ‘pull’ blades designed to pull towards you as you carve – I have never used these.

The blades above fit into a handle when using them to carve lino.

Now at this point I need to stress that these particular carving tools are over 25 years old – they are certainly old and faithful and I guard them jealously. Not because they were hugely expensive but because out of long years of use they are comfortable. Sometimes it’s hard to let go of the comfortable. I have noted that a newer set of Speedball blades and handles are not the same as these – they are a different shape of handle and gauges and have less weight in the handle.

I have not the access to shops that sell the more expensive carving tools nor the finances at this point and I would need to feel them before I bought them but I also know that into the future I will need towards replacing these.

The end section on the right side of the above image below comes off and the spare blades can bet stored there but this is not something I do. I do also though use some padding I tape onto the end for the finer blade due to the constant pressure into the palm of my hand whilst carving. The end of the handle fits neatly and comfortably into the centre of my hand.

Essentially you need to find the blades and handles that best feel comfortable to you. As an aside I do not like the long straight wooden handled cheaper lino carving tools that are most used in schools. They contain only larger sized blades and foe me I find them cumbersome to use as I have a small hand and do a lot of fine carving.

Essentially the lino blades that you use regardless of brand etc are a metal blade or knife designed as gouges. Continual use of the carving linoblocks will make them blunt and like any knife they need to be maintained and sharpened. this can be a delicate process and has taken me a good while to develop the skill of honing the blade to achieve a good cutting edge for my blades. On the end of each lino blade is a beveled edge that I feel needs to be maintained and kept sharp. You must be careful to not damage this edge nor significantly change the bevel/angle as you sharpen it. Like I said it can be a tricky process. Fortunately for me my Dad is really good at such things and has helped me out. So it may be helpful to find someone experienced with sharpening blades to help you at first until you can manage to work it out for yourself.

The method I use is as follows:

1. Being careful to maintain the angle or bevel of the blade I work the blade gently across (usually in a figure 8) a super fine sharpening stone and a good quality machine oil – I use this sparingly.

2. I then follow this up by using by a very fine sandpaper for inside and outside the V gouges – that I use occasionally whilst carving to sharpen particularly the inside of the V gouge. You can see the lines on this piece of sandpaper from folding it to work inside the V gouge.

3. Finally I use of a strong, thick piece of leather (you can attach it to a block of wood if this is easier for you) and either with or without a super fine grinding paste – I use this fairly often whilst carving to maintain a nice sharp edge for neat lines. Always work the blade by pulling it towards you at the correct angle for the bevel – it can take a while to ge the hang of it but as they say ‘practice makes perfect’ – well anyway it will get easier.

I find that as I carve and the blade becomes less sharp it is both harder to carve and more difficult to cut fine lines or edges – so if you are finding that once the carving seemed easier and is no longer that this is the time to look at sharpening your blades. For me the No 1 blade is the main blade I need to keep sharp as I am carving.

If you keep your blades well maintained and sharp you will find carving easier, neater and for me more rewarding.

WARNING!! Lino cutting tools are called ‘gouges’ for a reason! Their purpose is to gouge or carve the surface of the lino to create the design and as such they are sharp and can easily cause unwary users to end up with gouges fingers and hands.

I believe lino carving should come with a clear warning label and a large packet of bandaids!! Believe me if you are unwary and the gouge blade cuts you it hurts – I have done it many times and have a fair respect for these blades.

The secret to easier and cleaner carving is to keep your blades sharp and that means that you should take some basic precautions especially when you are first beginning carving.

1.USE A CARVING BOARD OR TABLE

The above shows an example of a simply and easily made carving board. It is essentially a flat piece of board with 2 small square dowel ends – one on top to push the lino up against and the one below to stop the board slipping forward across the table as you push through the lino whilst carving.

When it is placed on a flat on a table and used correctly it provides a solid and effective safety measure helping to guard against carving fingers.

2. ALWAYS CARVE WITH YOUR ‘HOLDING’ HAND BEHIND YOUR CARVING HAND

Essentially the most common way to cut yourself is to place the hand that should be holding the lino with, behind the carving hand – essentially in front of the blade! Despite what you may think this is easy to do as when you are concentrating on carving and pushing the blade forward it seems natural to stop the lino being pushed forward as well by holding it with you hand. If you do this YOU WILL cut yourself! It is very easy to slip whilst carving through the lino and the carving blade to shoot forward in to the air. So it takes a bit of discipline but try to remember to place the lino up against the from ‘stopping board’ on your carving board and this will stop the lino and bear the brunt of any carving slips. Better to hit the timber than your hand!

3. ALWAYS HAVE A PACKET OF BAND-AIDS OR STICKING PLASTERS HANDY

For those times when you do slip and do end up cutting yourself. try to use the band-aid straight away to prevent the bleeding to stop as soon as possible.

On the left is a section of the linoblock carving of a Tawny Frogmouth linocut design – ‘Sleepy Tawny’. It is the same size and companion image for ‘Tawny Stare’. The image on the right is the design template I develop before carving and use as a reference whilst carving.

Notice the difference?

They are a mirror image.

The important thing is to remember that if you want the final linocut to be the same as the original printed design you must carve it in reverse!!

This is particularly important if you are including lettering in your design otherwise you may need to be like Leonardo da Vinci and be able to read ‘mirror writing’.

The image on the right shows how I transfer my designs I have worked out on paper onto the linoblock.

After I have finished developing the design and inked it in as a black and white design I then used the old-time honoured tradition of…tracing the design onto greaseproof paper (non waxed) with a 2B/3B pencil, attached it face down on to lino on the back with masking tape over the wrapped edges, rubbing hard with a HB pencil over the penciled design, removing the paper and TA-DA!! Magic!!

Well at least when we were kids it seemed like magic…

Others use carbon paper etc but you need to remember to reverse the design…my method automatically transfers it in reverse by simply turning the paper over to transfer the graphite onto the block.

Other linocut artists draw directly onto the block without making a paper design, there can be an immediacy to this style but given my pedantic nature with my wildflowers, wildlife and artwork I like to have it all worked out beforehand.

I know this seems an odd combination but on really cold days or average days where it is too hot to warm the room but not hot enough to help make the lino soft and pliable then I use the food warmer. Basically it was a trendy thing back in the 1970’s to use these electric food warmers on tables to keep casseroles etc warm for a dinner party

I have two – both of which belonged to my mother-in-law – she LOVED having large numbers of family and friends over with tables full of food. I actually don’t think these food warmers were used much as they seem brand new. I can also remember the warmers that had candles underneath. You can tell they are from the 1970′s by the ‘mission brown’ colour scheme and patternwork – the other one is that delightful 1970′s ‘orange tones’. They are however great because I set them up next to me and lightly warm the lino which makes it easier to carve. So for all you ‘lino-carvers’ out there – the next time you visit a garage sale or op shop check to see if they have one – they work exceptionally well.

Linocut Tutorials & Art Tutorials by Australian Artist Lynette Weir

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